Integration of Deep Eutectic Solvents and Hydrotalcites for Biomass Conversion and Aldol Condensation: Toward Platform Chemicals and Jet Fuel Synthesis—A Review

Abstract

The abundance and renewability of lignocellulosic biomass have made it a suitable alternative to fossil fuels in the reduction of global warming. The complex nature of the cellulose–hemicellulose–lignin bonds in the biomass makes it difficult to directly obtain platform chemicals. Pretreatment of the biomass has become a solution to remove lignin and obtain cellulose and or hemicellulose to produce platform chemicals. Platform chemicals such as hydroxymethylfurfural, furfural, and levulinic acid are viable feedstocks for aldol condensation to produce C₈–C₁₅ fuels. This review reports on deep eutectic solvents and microwave-assisted pretreatment as green techniques for the delignification and platform chemicals production. Emphasis is placed on the use of hydrotalcites (HTs) as catalysts in platform chemicals production and aldol condensation for C₈–C₁₅ alkane fuels. Additionally, the hydrogenation of furfural into cyclopentanone and successive conversion into C₁₀ and C₁₅ alkanes with HTs was reviewed.